Given the record snowfall that blanketed much of northern Arizona on Thursday and Friday, no doubt many in the Phoenix area are eager to head north to explore the wintry landscape.

But it’s probably a good idea to wait.

The National Weather Service in Flagstaff says snow is expected to continue falling until at least Friday evening and secondary roads could still be icy on Saturday. It might be best to wait until at least Sunday before heading out, according to the Weather Service.

For those seeking off-road adventures, the wait could be even longer.

Officials from the Apache-Sitgreaves and Tonto national forests announced numerous forest-road closures on Thursday. Coconino National Forest offices were closed because of the weather by Friday morning and are expected to remain closed until Monday.

“Although northbound I-17 is reopened, we still need drivers to use caution,” ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel said. “There are going to be areas with snow and ice. It's important to use caution because we had a record amount of snowfall and that’s still affecting portions of the highways as well as many of the local roads in Flagstaff.”

Nintzel also reminds people that when they do make their way up north, it’s dangerous to park along the shoulders of U.S. 180 northwest of Flagstaff. Emergency-parking only signs have been placed between mile markers 221 and 233, the Arizona Daily Sun has reported, and drivers may be ticketed. Parking in unauthorized areas can cause traffic problems and impede emergency response efforts, Nintzel said.

In addition, Nintzel said drivers should be aware of the possibility of “black ice” forming on roads. Black ice is a thin, hard-to-see layer of ice that can form when warmer conditions melt snow during the day and that water refreezes at night.

“That’s another reason drivers should keep their speeds under control and avoid distractions,” Nintzel said.

Payson snow, highway info

State Route 87 between Phoenix and Payson had reopened as of Friday afternoon, but Nintzel said he was hearing reports of enough other road closures in that area that it's best to postpone travel to that region until conditions improve.

State Route 260 across the Mogollon Rim between Payson and Show Low also has treacherous conditions.

Anyone wanting to visit those areas should call or check the parks' websites before making the trip.

Forest roads unsafe for drivers, rescuers

The forest-road closures were enacted to ensure the safety of people as well as to protect the roads and the forest landscape.

“At this point the biggest concern is people getting stranded,” said Carrie Templin, public affairs officer with Tonto National Forest. “People could get stuck and not be able to get out. We have people out patrolling, but with 3 million acres, that’s an awful lot of area and an awful lot of roads. There is a lot of ground to cover.”

The extraordinary amounts of snow make it harder for rangers and other safety officials to get around as well. As a result, it could be hours to days in extreme cases before people stranded on an unpaved road could be rescued.

Reader Valentino Footracer shares photos from his home in Sanders in northeastern Arizona on Feb. 22, 2019, where he says about a foot of snow fell overnight.(Photo: Courtesy of Valentino Footrace)

Even if people don’t get stranded, simply driving can damage the landscape in ways difficult, if not impossible, to repair.

“When a vehicle slides off the road due to inclement weather, especially when trying to get the vehicle unstuck, it can cause severe and irreparable damage,” Ellsworth wrote. “When travelers drive off road, user-made roads can be unintentionally created. When vehicles drive on soft, muddy, roads, this can create ruts and these ruts can increase erosion.

“Furthermore, our forest has sensitive plants and sensitive wildlife habitat. When vehicles are driven off road, they can spread invasive plants. Some of the biggest transports of invasive plants are vehicles.”

Prescott National Forest said that some recreation sites in the Bradshaw and Verde ranger districts may close due to inclement weather.

In the Bradshaw Ranger District those areas include Lynx Lake, Granite Basin, the White Spar Campground and Thumb Butte day-use area. In the Verde district those sites are the Hayfield Draw OHV area and Verde River access points.

Call the Bradshaw Ranger District at 928-443-8000 or the Verde Ranger District at 928-567-4121 before you head to those areas.

Paved roads are still dangerous, too

Even driving on pavement will be risky this weekend.

Arizona Department of Transportation snow plows have been working continuously during the storm, but it could still be days before all of the roads are cleared and/or salted.

Phoenix-area residents not familiar with driving in slick, wintry conditions should take precautions if heading up north.

ADOT’s KnowSnow website offers tips for drivers headed out in winter weather. The most important caution is simple: Slow down.

Plan your travel route in advance.

Notify someone of your route, destination and projected arrival time.

Fill your fuel tank and try to keep it at three-quarters full. Running out of gas — especially in a remote location — is extremely dangerous during winter conditions.

Keep water, snacks and warm clothes or blankets in your car in case you have a collision or get caught in a road closure.

Visit az511.gov or dial 511 for updated road and weather conditions. However, never use a cellphone or mobile device while driving.

It's also a good idea to pack an emergency kit that includes items like a warm change of clothes, extra blankets, bottle water, snacks, a flashlight and first aid kit.

The best advice might just be to wait until the weather has cleared up and the roads have been cleared. While it might be tempting to want to get out and play, it’s not worth the risk.

“That’s exactly what ADOT is saying as well,” Templin said. “Wait until the storm has passed and the roads have been plowed. The snow is not going to go away tomorrow. There will be opportunities to go and look at the scenery. Let’s stay put and stay safe until conditions improve.”

Ambria Dell'Oro uses a broom to wipe the collected snow from her car Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. Snow fell and accumulated in central and downtown Tucson on Friday, surprising many in a city where snow is extremely rare. Mike Christy, AP

A jogger runs around the Randolph Golf complex, Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. Snow fell and accumulated in central and downtown Tucson on Friday, surprising many in a city where snow is extremely rare. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star, AP

A small snowman left on a boulder beside the entrance at the Saguaro National Park East, Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. A winter storm dumped record-breaking amounts of snow in Arizona and forced the closure Friday of roads, schools and government offices across the Southwest. Kelly Presnell, AP

Jesse Jackson sets up his phone on a tripod to get video of the snow falling over the Saguaro National Park East, Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. A winter storm dumped record-breaking amounts of snow in Arizona and forced the closure Friday of roads, schools and government offices across the Southwest. Kelly Presnell, AP

Julia DeConcini, left, and Brittany Smith take photos of the snowman they found and moved to the top of a nearby cactus while taking in the sight of snow over Saguaro National Park East, Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. A winter storm dumped record-breaking amounts of snow in Arizona and forced the closure Friday of roads, schools and government offices across the Southwest. Kelly Presnell, AP

This photo provided by the Flagstaff, Ariz., Police Department shows a police officer, left, helping a motorist push a car stuck in snow in Flagstaff Friday morning, Feb. 22, 2019. Schools, public libraries and businesses remained closed for a second day Friday amid a major, record-breaking storm in north-central Arizona. Snow fell Thursday at 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 centimeters) an hour in what the National Weather Service characterized as "not your average" storm. The heaviest precipitation was pushing further into eastern Arizona before the storm moves out over the weekend, leaving temperatures at or below freezing. (Jennifer Brown/Flagstaff Police Department via AP

Snow covers the Randolph Golf Course on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. Snow fell and accumulated in central and downtown Tucson on Friday, surprising many in a city where snow is extremely rare. Mike Christy, AP

Morgan Baggs shovels the driveway at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona, on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. Schools across northern Arizona canceled classes and some government offices decided to close amid a winter storm that's expected to dump heavy snow in the region. Felicia Fonseca, AP

A car drives down Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona, on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. Schools across northern Arizona canceled classes and some government offices decided to close amid a winter storm that's expected to dump heavy snow in the region. Felicia Fonseca, AP

Richard Henn runs a snow blower down the sidewalk outside his home in Flagstaff, Arizona, on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. Schools across northern Arizona canceled classes and some government offices decided to close amid a winter storm that's expected to dump heavy snow in the region. Felicia Fonseca, AP

A man takes a photo of the desert landscape near Sentinel Peak covered in snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. Snow fell and accumulated in central and downtown Tucson on Friday, surprising many in a city where snow is extremely rare. Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star, AP

This web cam photo provided by the Arizona Department of Transportation shows fresh barricades for the closure between Heber and Star Valley after a snowfall along State Route 260, 109 miles northeast of Phoenix. Arizona Department of Transportation via AP

Georgia Lentine, age 2 shares a bite for her first snowball with grandmother Ava Dahl (right) of Phoenix after a winter storm brought six inches of snow on Feb. 22, 2019 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Braylen (left) and his mom, Adianne Lentine of Phoenix has a snowball fight with a saguaro cactus in the background after a winter storm brought six inches of snow on Feb. 22, 2019 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Snow covers a car the morning after a snowstorm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow blankets downtown the morning after a snow storm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snowstorm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow covers a sign for Northern Arizona University the morning after a snow storm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow sits on trashcans the morning after a snow storm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow blankets homes and cars the morning after a snowstorm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow blankets homes and cars the morning after a snow storm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Cleaning begins the morning after a snowstorm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Icicles hang from a building the morning after a snowstorm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow blankets cars in front of the Flagstaff visitors center the morning after a snow storm in Flagstaff on Feb. 22, 2019. The day before, a snow storm set the record for the most amount of snowfall in a day in Flagstaff Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Ambria Dell'Oro, a New Jersey native, uses a broom to wipe the collected snow from her Volkswagen in midtown as the metro Tucson area receives snowfall following a late February storm system, Feb. 22, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star

Sienna Chapman (right) carries her 6-month-old son Aldo Bransky on her chest (center-right) as she walks with Nat Bransky (left) carrying their 3-year-old daughter June Bransky on his back through the snow in downtown Flagstaff on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Dustin Brady cleans sidewalks in the snow near Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Northern Arizona University student Julia Payne walks through the snow in Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Northern Arizona University student Reid Petersen shovels snow in front of his home in Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Northern Arizona University students Sierra Nider (left) and Caitlin Callison (right) walk through the snow in Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Dustin Brady cleans sidewalks in the snow near Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Sienna Chapman (right) carries her 6-month-old son Aldo Bransky on her chest (center-right) as she walks with Nat Bransky (left) carrying their 3-year-old daughter June Bransky on his back through the snow in downtown Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Dwayne, who wanted to give his first name only, delivers the mail through the snow in downtown Flagstaff on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

KayLyn and Troy Simington of Prescott Valley posted this picture via Facebook saying "What do you do when you and your husband both work from home and there is a snow storm outside? Take a lunch break in your hot tub in the backyard!" Courtesy KayLyn Simington

KayLyn and Troy Simington of Prescott Valley posted this picture via Facebook saying "What do you do when you and your husband both work from home and there is a snow storm outside? Take a lunch break in your hot tub in the backyard!" Courtesy KayLyn Simington

KayLyn and Troy Simington of Prescott Valley posted this picture via Facebook saying "What do you do when you and your husband both work from home and there is a snow storm outside? Take a lunch break in your hot tub in the backyard!" Courtesy KayLyn Simington

Snow falls over the I-17 near Flagstaff on Thursday, February 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona through Friday.
Thomas Hawthorne, Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Snow begins to fall on Interstate 17 north of Phoenix near Sunset Point in Arizona on Feb. 21, 2019. A storm was expected to bring 20-30 inches of snow around northern Arizona. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Chris Tovar plays in the snow with his son, Chris Tovar Jr. after a blanket of snow covers northern Scottsdale, drawing Arizona residents from the surrounding area to marvel at the sight and play in the snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2016. Nathan J. Fish/The Republic

Chris Tovar plays in the snow with his son, Chris Tovar Jr. after a blanket of snow covers northern Scottsdale, drawing Arizona residents from the surrounding area to marvel at the sight and play in the snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2016. Nathan J. Fish/The Republic

Chris Tovar plays in the snow with his son, Chris Tovar Jr. after a blanket of snow covers northern Scottsdale, drawing Arizona residents from the surrounding area to marvel at the sight and play in the snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2016. Nathan J. Fish/The Republic

Chris Tovar plays in the snow with his son, Chris Tovar Jr. after a blanket of snow covered northern Scottsdale, drawing Arizona residents from the surrounding area to marvel at the sight and play in the snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2016. Nathan J. Fish/The Republic

Ellen Bishop's granddaughter plays in the snow as a blanket of snow covered northern Scottsdale, drawing Arizona residents from the surrounding area to marvel at the sight and play in the snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2016. Nathan J. Fish/The Republic

Ellen Bishop's granddaughter plays in the snow as a blanket of snow covered northern Scottsdale, drawing Arizona residents from the surrounding area to marvel at the sight and play in the snow on Friday, Feb. 22, 2016. Nathan J. Fish/The Republic